Three of the top four sports leagues -- the NBA, Major League Baseball and Nascar -- don't disclose the amount of the discrepancy between the penalties they announce and the money they actually collect. The NFL says it collected about two-thirds of the fines it levied last season. Interviews with dozens of sports executives, lawyers and players shed light on how the industry follows through on its disciplinary actions, and turned up numerous instances in which reprieves were granted away from public view. In particular, the NBA, whose championship series this week caps a season marked by record fines, often issues proclamations about the penalties the league and its teams assess. But the league almost never makes public when fines are reduced or rescinded. The NFL does not make public when individual penalties are cut or dropped. "We're not going to break out every little detail," says NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. Major League Baseball is less vocal about its discipline -- except in rare cases, fine amounts are not announced -- but it too declines to reveal how much fine money is collected.

Imagine that. I know many divorced men right now are muttering: "Sheesh. If only my ex were that lenient."

2 comments:

I've often wondered about just who is getting all this "fine" money. It would make a very interesting piece to do on some news magazine show. I'd say ESPN, but they are too busy making sure that black athletes (RGIII) are black enough.

About Me

Steve Czaban is one of the most experienced daily sports talk radio hosts in the nation. In his 22 year professional career, Steve has worked for three major syndicated sports talk networks (Yahoo Sports Radio, ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio), filled in as a guest host for popular national host Jim Rome, and has worked locally in markets including Santa Barbara, Chicago, Milwaukee, Charlotte and Washington D.C.
Czabe currently hosts two 3-hour sports radio shows daily, including a 30 minute feature sports segment on the top rated Bob and Brian in the Morning in Milwaukee.